No sooner than you think you are beginning to get the hang of watching nature, than an unknown species appears and sets you adrift. This was the case yesterday when I noticed that a black hawthorn tree had become alive with the twittering of small, plain, but melodious songbirds.
But, what was the bird? I took pictures (of course) and posted them to a birding group. It wasn’t long before Stanley Walens (in California) explained: “warbling vireos. They should be migrating into your area about now.”
And so it was. Here are two of my pictures of the Warbling Vireo as it entertained Kootenay Lake—what is missing is the delicious singing.
Alistair – Your postings this spring have been superb. We delight in the photos and the text. Thank you.
Thank you Alistair: This delightful little bird has been greeting me in song every morning for at least a month perched on a lilac in the upper corner of our garden. I can easily get within 2 feet of him (her?). He seems not the least bit nervous of my presence. I had no idea what he was – no really distinctive markings or colouration. These photos fit him perfectly. Now I know who my morning friend is!
Jean Simpson
Some Warbling Vireo Sounds at:
http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Warbling_Vireo/sounds